McLean County, North Dakota

McLean County, North Dakota
McLean County is a county in the U.S. state of North Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,771. Its county seat is Washburn.
History
The Dakota Territory legislature created the county on March 8, 1883, with areas partitioned from Burleigh, Sheridan, and (now-extinct) Stevens counties. The county was named for John A. McLean, the first mayor of Bismarck. The county organization was completed on November 1 of that year. Its boundaries were altered in 1885, in 1892, and in 1908. It has retained its current configuration since November 3, 1908, when a portion of its previous territory was partitioned to recreate Sheridan County (Sheridan had been dissolved on November 8, 1892, with its territory annexed to McLean).
Geography
The county's western boundary is delineated by Lake Sakakawea, created in 1956 by construction of Garrison Dam at the county's southwestern edge. The southwestern boundary of the county is delineated by the Missouri River as it continues its southeastward flow from the lake. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds in its eastern portion. The area is largely devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point on the north boundary line near its NW corner, at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (9.3%) is water. It is the third-largest county in North Dakota by land area and second-largest by total area.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 83
North Dakota Highway 28
North Dakota Highway 37
North Dakota Highway 53
North Dakota Highway 41
North Dakota Highway 48
North Dakota Highway 200
North Dakota Highway 200A
North Dakota Highway 1804
Adjacent counties
Ward County - north
McHenry County - northeast
Sheridan County - east
Burleigh County - southeast
Oliver County - south
Mercer County - southwest
Dunn County - west
Mountrail County - northwest
Protected areas
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
Camp Lake National Wildlife Refuge
De Trobriand State Game Management Area
Douglas Creek Public Use Area
Hiddenwood National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Nettie National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Otis National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Susie National Wildlife Refuge
Lost Lake National Wildlife Refuge
McLean National Wildlife Refuge
Riverdale State Game Management Area
Totten Trail Park
Wilton Mine State Game Management Area (part)
Lakes
Blackwater Lake
Blue Lake
Brumwell Slough
Camp Lake
Cherry Lake (part)
Cottonwood Lake
Crooked Lake
Lake Audubon
Lake Brekken
Lake Holmes
Lake Margaret
Lake Nettie
Lake Ordway
Lake Williams
Lost Lake
Minehan Slough
Nelson Lake
Otis Lake
Painted Woods Lake
Pelican Lake
Peterson Lake
Postel Lake (part)
Strawberry Lake
Turtle Lake
Wildwood Lake
Yanktonal Lake
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 9,771 people.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 8,962 people, 3,897 households, and 2,600 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 5,590 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 91.0% white, 7.0% American Indian, 0.1% black or African American, 0.1% Asian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.2% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 54.4% were German, 24.6% were Norwegian, 6.5% were Irish, 5.6% were Swedish, 5.1% were English, and 3.6% were American.
Of the 3,897 households, 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.3% were non-families, and 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.75. The median age was 49.1 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $52,922 and the median income for a family was $62,686. Males had a median income of $48,906 versus $29,431 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,029. About 6.5% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Population by decade
Communities
Cities
Benedict
Butte
Coleharbor
Garrison
Max
Mercer
Riverdale
Ruso
Turtle Lake
Underwood
Washburn (county seat)
Wilton (partly in Burleigh County)
Census-designated place
White Shield
Unincorporated communities
Falkirk
Merida
Raub
Roseglen
Townships
Amundsville
Andrews
Aurena
Blackwater
Blue Hill
Butte
Byersville
Cremerville
Deepwater
Dogden
Douglas
Gate
Greatstone
Horseshoe Valley
Lake Williams
Longfellow
Loquemont
Malcolm
McGinnis
Medicine Hill
Mercer
Otis
Roseglen
Rosemont
Saint Mary
Snow
Turtle Lake
Victoria
Wise
Communities flooded by Garrison Dam
Beaver Creek
Charging Eagle
Elbowoods
Independence
Lucky Mound
Nishu
Red Butte (Mandan community)
Shell Creek
Politics
McLean County voters have voted Republican for decades. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in McLean County, North Dakota
References
Further reading
Mary Ann Barnes Williams, Pioneer Days of Washburn, N. Dakota and Vicinity. Washburn ND: Washburn Leader, 1936.
McLean County Heritage. Washburn ND: McLean County Historical Society, 1978.
External links
McLean County maps, Sheet 1 (western), Sheet 2 (northeast), and Sheet 3 (southeast), North Dakota DOT
North Dakota counties on the Missouri River
1883 establishments in Dakota Territory
Populated places established in 1883